Sword Product Testing Forum to Begin

Annoucements about GRTC: seminars, lectures, and special events

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Scott M. Rodell
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Sword Product Testing Forum to Begin

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:42 am

As I travel about presenting Chinese Swordsmanship Seminars, I'm often asked my opinion of different contempory swords on today's market. Sometimes, I haven't handled the swords in question, or only seen them briefly at a seminar & not actually tested them. So, at the request of students here in America & abroad, I'm beginning a New Forum herein that will focus entirely on testing swords & other Chinese Swordsmanship related products.



I will be testing these swords primarily as a swordsman for thier use in martial practice. Historical & decorative qualities of the sword being tested will also be examined, however, this will not be the main concern of these tests. I will also include a "What I'd like to see" section in each review. This section will be for making suggestions to improve the product & should not be looked at as criticism but as ways a good or bad product could be made better yet. My aim here is to aid both the student of swordsmanship & manufacturer, as both need the other & the growth of swordsmanship needs both.



Please note that I have no commercial interest in any product I'll test & that my comments should not be taken as an endorsement, but simply as an evaluation. It should also be noted that I will be testing contemporary swords in comparison to Qing & Ming era examples of the same or similar blade form. Lastly, it should also, in all fairness, be noted that I have been a dealer of antique Chinese arms for over 13 years & have long avocated the use of antique swords in modern training. However, it would be quite unusal to employ antique swords to practice test cutting, therefore, there is an important place in serious swordsmanship training for quality modern blades that fit within the parameters of known Qing & Mig dynasty weapons.



The criteria used to test swords will be present at the top of the Sword Product Test forum.
Last edited by Scott M. Rodell on Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:07 am, edited 2 times in total.

Scott M. Rodell
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Post by Scott M. Rodell » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:51 am

I've received the first sword for testing, a dao from Huanuo.com, thier Gold Round Dao, see: http://www.huanuosword.com/e/asp/englis ... asp?id=463.



Testing has begun & the result should be posted in the new forum within a week...



If you have a product you'd like me to test, please contact the manufacturer & request they send me their product & PM me here about delivery instructions, etc...

Scott M. Rodell
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Post by Scott M. Rodell » Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:42 pm

Just arrived today for testing, a Huanuo, Round Battle Dao with brass fittngs, see: http://www.huanuosword.com/e/asp/englis ... asp?id=397



Huanuo felt that the first sword they sent for testing, the Gold Round Dao, had a bad blade & so asked me to retest a sword. Out of the box, I noticed the Round Battle Dao is noticably heavier than the Gold Round Dao. A quick test of the just arrived Round battle Dao also shows it to have a much harder edge, between 55 & 60 RCH, than the Gold Round Dao which was only a RCH of 40. If the weather holds, I should be able to finish this test within the week (but no promises).

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